Athletes and Their Safety

Why do athletes feel so threatened that they find the need to carry loaded guns into NYC hot spots?

This week on award winning Sportsnight, Anthony Riccobono and I tackle the timely matter of athletes and their safety.

Giants wideout Plaxico Burress was injured last weekend when he accidentally shot himself in the leg while partying at a New York City night spot.

This raised the obvious question, why are athletes such as Burress carrying loaded guns into clubs?

Many athletes have claimed that they feel threatened. The fact that they are highly visible celebrities with a lot of money and fame leads them to believe they are targets. This perception, warranted or not, is the reason some athletes choose to arm themselves.

People point to the examples of Sean Taylor, tragically murdered last year, and Richard Collier who was shot multiple times this August as examples of reasons athletes should arm themselves.

Yet others say there's no reason athletes should put themselves in situations where they feel it necessary to carry a loaded gun.

On the show, you'll hear from former SU standout and current Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain. He talks about his attitudes as a young professional athlete and if he feels like a target as an NFL player Listen to some of what Jameel has to say here.Jameel McClain blog bite.wav -